Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s supporters celebrated late into the night as Turkey’s long-time president secured another five-year term in power. Addressing cheering crowds outside his massive palace in Ankara, Erdogan proclaimed, “The entire nation of 85 million won.” However, his call for unity rang hollow as he ridiculed his opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, and targeted a jailed Kurdish leader and the LGBT community.
While Kilicdaroglu did not explicitly concede defeat, he complained about the “most unfair election in recent years,” accusing Erdogan’s party of employing all the resources of the state against him. Erdogan secured just over 52% of the vote, based on unofficial results. Nearly half of the electorate did not support his authoritarian vision for Turkey in this deeply polarized country.
Despite Kilicdaroglu’s efforts, he proved no match for the well-organized Erdogan campaign. Although he forced the president into a runoff second round, a first since the direct election of the president in 2014, Kilicdaroglu fell over two million votes behind, failing to significantly dent Erdogan’s lead.
Erdogan seized the opportunity to bask in his victory, delivering an initial speech to supporters atop a bus in Istanbul and later addressing an adoring crowd of 320,000 people from his palace balcony. He proclaimed it one of the most significant elections in Turkish history and taunted his defeated opponent with the chant “Bye, bye, Kemal.”
The run-up to the election grew increasingly acrimonious, culminating in the fatal stabbing of an opposition official. The motive for the killing was unclear, but it was believed to be connected to celebrations surrounding the election result. While the final results were not confirmed, the Supreme Election Council left no doubt about
the winner. Erdogan’s victory extends his tenure to a quarter-century, a highly unusual occurrence. Supporters from across Ankara celebrated the win, expressing their joy and dismissing concerns about the country’s economic crisis. Erdogan acknowledged that tackling inflation was the most pressing issue, but doubts remained about whether he would take the necessary measures to address it.
Amid the celebrations, Erdogan’s supporters praised his strong position in the world and his tough stance against “terrorists,” referring to Kurdish militants. Erdogan accused hisopponent of siding with terrorists and criticized him for promising to free a jailed proKurdish party leader. He pledged to prioritize the reconstruction of areas affected by recent earthquakes and facilitate the voluntary return of Syrian refugees.
While crowds gathered in Istanbul’s Taksim Square to celebrate Erdogan’s victory, unity
seemed more elusive than ever in this deeply divided country. Since the failed coup in 2016, Erdogan has consolidated power, abolishing the position of prime minister and amassing extensive authority that his opponent had vowed to curtail.
As Turkey’s opposition regroups for the upcoming local elections in 2024, Kilicdaroglu’s party, with two popular mayors in Ankara and Istanbul, may have a better chance of securing victory in those races.
